Between 1994 and 1996, Darius Rucker hit the top of the charts four times as lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish -- with "Hold My Hand," "Let Her Cry," "Only Wanna Be With You" and "Hannah Jane," all from the band's breakthrough CD, "Cracked Rear View." This week, he matches that feat as a solo artist. "Southern State of Mind," his third hit from his second country album, moves 2-1. By doing so, it joins three No. 1 hits from "Learn to Live" -- "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," "History in the Making" and "It Won't Be Like This for Long."
Cee-Lo Green makes it 4-for-4 in the Top 10 over the past six months, as "Bright Lights Bigger City" jumps 18-10. The previous hits -- "Forget You," "The Thrill Is Gone" (on which he guested with Fantasia) and "Fool for You" -- all went to No. 1.
In 2000, the gospel duo Mary Mary just missed the Top 10 when "Shackles (Praise You)" hit No. 11. This week, the duo has the top debut, as "Something Big" enters at No. 33. It's the title track of Mary Mary's latest CD.
Also debuting, at No. 40, is Santana's cover of the Cream classic "Sunshine of Your Love." This track features Rob Thomas on vocals, making Thomas the third Santana collaborator to earn two chart hits with the guitar legend. Michelle Branch was the first with "The Game of Love" in 2002 and "I'm Feeling You" in 2005. Nickelback lead singer Chad Kroeger came next, with "Why Don't You and I?" in 2003 and "Into the Night" in 2007. Thomas first hit the Top 40 with Santana on the 1999 smash "Smooth." That single went to No. 1 and spent 19 weeks in the Top 40. This is the second remake of "Sunshine of Your Love" to chart; the rock group Living Colour took theirs to No. 14 in 1994.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Week of March 27
Six debuts this week, with a mix of relative newcomers, popular artists of the past decade and one of the classic pop/rock groups of the 1970s and '80s.
Bruno Mars follows "Grenade" and his No. 1 "Just the Way You Are" with "Talking to the Moon," the week's highest debut at No. 35. All three songs are from his debut CD, "Doo-Wops and Hooligans." Meanwhile, Owl City (a k a Adam Young) earns his fourth Top 40 hit (and third in the past six months) with "Alligator Sky" at No. 39. This single is a bit of a departure for Owl City -- more rhythmic, with a guest rap from Shawn Chrystopher.
Panic at the Disco scores its second chart hit (after 2008's "Nine in the Afternoon") with No. 40, "Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)." That's from the group's new set, "Vices and Virtues." And Jennifer Hudson enters at No. 38 with "Why Is It So Hard?" It's her sixth chart hit overall, her third post-"Dreamgirls." Last time out, in 2009, she went to No. 1 with "We Gon' Fight."
That leaves the two debut songs with the most veteran performers. "Feel Good" at No. 37 reteams Eric Benet and Faith Evans. This new song, with a background that will remind older listeners of Cheryl Lynn's "Got to Be Real" or the Emotions' "Best of My Love," is the second hit from Benet's "Love and Life" CD; he went to No. 10 a couple of months back with "Never Want to Life Without You." Benet and Evans hit No. 22 in 1999 with a remake of Toto's "Georgy Porgy."
Benet and Evans started their chart runs in the 1990s. The artist at No. 36 goes back two decades before them. The Cars -- Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes and David Robinson -- splashed onto the national charts in 1978 with the singles "Just What I Needed" and "My Best Friend's Girl" from their debut album. The group scored nationally and on my charts throughout the late '70s and 1980s with songs such as "Let's Go!" "You Might Think," "Magic" and "Drive." Their last appearance on my surveys came in 1986 when "I'm Not the One" hit No. 24. Ocasek and Orr spun off solo careers, and Orr passed away in 2000. The remaining four members reunited this year for a new project, and the first single from it is "Sad Song" at No. 36.
From this week's Top 10, the week's biggest mover shows the power of a good edit. I did not care for Pink's latest single in its original album version. I think the use of the explicit adjective that she has in the song's title is juvenile and undercuts the message of a powerful song. The radio version completely strips that word and makes all the difference. The single edit, simply called "Perfect," leaps 18-8 and is a solid contender for No. 1. If it does go to the top, it will be the sixth for Pink; her other five are "Get the Party Started," "Don't Let Me Get Me," "Who Knew?" "Dear Mr. President" (featuring the Indigo Girls) and "Sober."
Bruno Mars follows "Grenade" and his No. 1 "Just the Way You Are" with "Talking to the Moon," the week's highest debut at No. 35. All three songs are from his debut CD, "Doo-Wops and Hooligans." Meanwhile, Owl City (a k a Adam Young) earns his fourth Top 40 hit (and third in the past six months) with "Alligator Sky" at No. 39. This single is a bit of a departure for Owl City -- more rhythmic, with a guest rap from Shawn Chrystopher.
Panic at the Disco scores its second chart hit (after 2008's "Nine in the Afternoon") with No. 40, "Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)." That's from the group's new set, "Vices and Virtues." And Jennifer Hudson enters at No. 38 with "Why Is It So Hard?" It's her sixth chart hit overall, her third post-"Dreamgirls." Last time out, in 2009, she went to No. 1 with "We Gon' Fight."
That leaves the two debut songs with the most veteran performers. "Feel Good" at No. 37 reteams Eric Benet and Faith Evans. This new song, with a background that will remind older listeners of Cheryl Lynn's "Got to Be Real" or the Emotions' "Best of My Love," is the second hit from Benet's "Love and Life" CD; he went to No. 10 a couple of months back with "Never Want to Life Without You." Benet and Evans hit No. 22 in 1999 with a remake of Toto's "Georgy Porgy."
Benet and Evans started their chart runs in the 1990s. The artist at No. 36 goes back two decades before them. The Cars -- Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes and David Robinson -- splashed onto the national charts in 1978 with the singles "Just What I Needed" and "My Best Friend's Girl" from their debut album. The group scored nationally and on my charts throughout the late '70s and 1980s with songs such as "Let's Go!" "You Might Think," "Magic" and "Drive." Their last appearance on my surveys came in 1986 when "I'm Not the One" hit No. 24. Ocasek and Orr spun off solo careers, and Orr passed away in 2000. The remaining four members reunited this year for a new project, and the first single from it is "Sad Song" at No. 36.
From this week's Top 10, the week's biggest mover shows the power of a good edit. I did not care for Pink's latest single in its original album version. I think the use of the explicit adjective that she has in the song's title is juvenile and undercuts the message of a powerful song. The radio version completely strips that word and makes all the difference. The single edit, simply called "Perfect," leaps 18-8 and is a solid contender for No. 1. If it does go to the top, it will be the sixth for Pink; her other five are "Get the Party Started," "Don't Let Me Get Me," "Who Knew?" "Dear Mr. President" (featuring the Indigo Girls) and "Sober."
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Week of March 20
Melodic pop/rock seems to be the sound of the week, as two of the most proficient groups of that genre enter the chart this week and singer James Blunt returns to No. 1 with his latest slice of it.
With such hits as the No. 1's "Everybody Hurts" (1993) and "Strange Currencies" (1995) and the No. 2's "Losing My Religion" (1991) and "Drive" (1992), R.E.M. was one of the top artists of the 1990s. The group hasn't been quite as active in the past decade, but it returns to the charts with "It Happened Today" at No. 40. That's from the band's latest CD, "Collapse Into Now." It's the first chart hit for R.E.M. in about three years, since "Supernatural Superserious" went to No. 21.
As active as R.E.M. was in the '90s, the group at No. 39 was the past decade. Lifehouse didn't connect on my charts with the song that ruled Billboard's Hot 100 in 2001, "Hanging by a Moment." But the band made up for that with a strong run the past five years, including three No. 1's: "First Time" in 2007, "Whatever It Takes" in 2008 and "It Is What It Is" last year. "Falling In," which debuts this week, is the latest Lifehouse hit co-written by another strong pop/rock act of the 1990s, Jude Cole. As a solo singer, Cole hit the Top 10 five times in a row between 1990 and 1993, including No. 1 in 1990 with "Time for Letting Go" and in 1993 with "Tell the Truth."
At the top of the charts, James Blunt earns his second No. 1 hit with "There She Goes Again." (His first on my charts was "1973"; "You're Beautiful" was a hit before the charts restarted in mid-2006.)
With such hits as the No. 1's "Everybody Hurts" (1993) and "Strange Currencies" (1995) and the No. 2's "Losing My Religion" (1991) and "Drive" (1992), R.E.M. was one of the top artists of the 1990s. The group hasn't been quite as active in the past decade, but it returns to the charts with "It Happened Today" at No. 40. That's from the band's latest CD, "Collapse Into Now." It's the first chart hit for R.E.M. in about three years, since "Supernatural Superserious" went to No. 21.
As active as R.E.M. was in the '90s, the group at No. 39 was the past decade. Lifehouse didn't connect on my charts with the song that ruled Billboard's Hot 100 in 2001, "Hanging by a Moment." But the band made up for that with a strong run the past five years, including three No. 1's: "First Time" in 2007, "Whatever It Takes" in 2008 and "It Is What It Is" last year. "Falling In," which debuts this week, is the latest Lifehouse hit co-written by another strong pop/rock act of the 1990s, Jude Cole. As a solo singer, Cole hit the Top 10 five times in a row between 1990 and 1993, including No. 1 in 1990 with "Time for Letting Go" and in 1993 with "Tell the Truth."
At the top of the charts, James Blunt earns his second No. 1 hit with "There She Goes Again." (His first on my charts was "1973"; "You're Beautiful" was a hit before the charts restarted in mid-2006.)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Week of March 13
Here are the highlights of a tight chart week:
Her first No. 1: Canadian soul singer Melanie Fiona earns the first charttopper of her career as "Gone and Never Coming Back" moves 3-1. She made her chart debut last year as a guest artist on John Legend's remake of "Wake Up Everybody." Fiona is the fourth artist in 2011 to earn that first No. 1, following Neon Trees, Ricky Martin and Joss Stone.
Trying for four in a row: Fiona is also a guest artist on the remix of Cee-Lo Green's "Fool for You" (which falls 5-10 this week in its original album version). Green has had a heck of a year, and he shows no signs of stopping as "Bright Lights Bigger City" is the week's biggest mover. It's up 33-26. Since last autumn, the soul singer has gone to No. 1 with "Fool for You," "Forget You" and his duet with Fantasia, "The Thrill Is Gone."
Other contenders: These artists show signs of having future Top 10 hits: pop-rockers Runner Runner, up 30-25 with "Hey Alli," country duo Thompson Square, moving 34-30 with "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?" and the duo of Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull, with the week's only debut, "On the Floor," at No. 39. It's Pitbull's third guest appearance in six months, following concurrent hits with Enrique Iglesias and Usher. Lopez marks her first appearance in the Top 40 since "Do It Well" hit No. 28 in 2007.
Her first No. 1: Canadian soul singer Melanie Fiona earns the first charttopper of her career as "Gone and Never Coming Back" moves 3-1. She made her chart debut last year as a guest artist on John Legend's remake of "Wake Up Everybody." Fiona is the fourth artist in 2011 to earn that first No. 1, following Neon Trees, Ricky Martin and Joss Stone.
Trying for four in a row: Fiona is also a guest artist on the remix of Cee-Lo Green's "Fool for You" (which falls 5-10 this week in its original album version). Green has had a heck of a year, and he shows no signs of stopping as "Bright Lights Bigger City" is the week's biggest mover. It's up 33-26. Since last autumn, the soul singer has gone to No. 1 with "Fool for You," "Forget You" and his duet with Fantasia, "The Thrill Is Gone."
Other contenders: These artists show signs of having future Top 10 hits: pop-rockers Runner Runner, up 30-25 with "Hey Alli," country duo Thompson Square, moving 34-30 with "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?" and the duo of Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull, with the week's only debut, "On the Floor," at No. 39. It's Pitbull's third guest appearance in six months, following concurrent hits with Enrique Iglesias and Usher. Lopez marks her first appearance in the Top 40 since "Do It Well" hit No. 28 in 2007.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Week of March 6
As is often the case, a week light on debuts (this past week, with one new song) is followed by a week heavy on debuts. Seven songs enter the Top 40 -- the most in one week since Nov. 7 of last year. (Interestingly, two of the songs that entered that week, "The Best Thing About Me Is You" from Ricky Martin and Joss Stone and "Just the One (I've Been Looking For)" from Huey Lewis and the News, just dropped out this week.) The seven span a variety of genres, from the R&B of Cee-Lo Green and Marsha Ambrosius to the country of Thompson Square to the alternative rock of Florence + The Machine to the straight-up pop of Christina Perri, Chris Medina and Beady Eye.
While he ends his four-week No. 1 run with "Fool for You," now No. 5, Green looks to follow it up with the week's highest debut, "Bright Lights Bigger City" at No. 33. It's his third hit from the CD "The Lady Killer." Right above "Lights" is Green's Grammy duet partner, Gwyneth Paltrow, moving 38-32 with "Me and Tennessee" from the soundtrack of "Country Strong."
Speaking of country, debuting at No. 34 is the country crossover hit "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?" It's the first chart hit for husband and wife Keifer and Shawna Thompson, known as Thompson Square. The duo has been the opening act for Jason Aldean, the artist who is earning his own chart success with his duet with Kelly Clarkson, "Don't You Wanna Stay?" (up 16-13 this week).
Thompson Square is one of six artists debuting for the first time in the Top 40 this week. Recent "American Idol" castoff Chris Medina enters at No. 36 with "What Are Words," singer-songwriter Christina Perri enters at No. 38 with "Jar of Hearts" and Grammy nominee Florence + The Machine debuts at No. 39 with "Hardest of Hearts."
Beady Eye, the group at No. 37 with "The Beat Goes On," is made up of several former members of the British rock group Oasis. And Marsha Ambrosius, originally from Liverpool, England, was half of the R&B duo Floetry. Her solo debut, "Hope She Cheats on You (With a Basketball Player)," enters at No. 40.
While he ends his four-week No. 1 run with "Fool for You," now No. 5, Green looks to follow it up with the week's highest debut, "Bright Lights Bigger City" at No. 33. It's his third hit from the CD "The Lady Killer." Right above "Lights" is Green's Grammy duet partner, Gwyneth Paltrow, moving 38-32 with "Me and Tennessee" from the soundtrack of "Country Strong."
Speaking of country, debuting at No. 34 is the country crossover hit "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?" It's the first chart hit for husband and wife Keifer and Shawna Thompson, known as Thompson Square. The duo has been the opening act for Jason Aldean, the artist who is earning his own chart success with his duet with Kelly Clarkson, "Don't You Wanna Stay?" (up 16-13 this week).
Thompson Square is one of six artists debuting for the first time in the Top 40 this week. Recent "American Idol" castoff Chris Medina enters at No. 36 with "What Are Words," singer-songwriter Christina Perri enters at No. 38 with "Jar of Hearts" and Grammy nominee Florence + The Machine debuts at No. 39 with "Hardest of Hearts."
Beady Eye, the group at No. 37 with "The Beat Goes On," is made up of several former members of the British rock group Oasis. And Marsha Ambrosius, originally from Liverpool, England, was half of the R&B duo Floetry. Her solo debut, "Hope She Cheats on You (With a Basketball Player)," enters at No. 40.
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